At House of Friendship, we believe in what we are doing. We get out of bed each day to make a difference in our community; to walk with and to serve. We are not happy with the status quo. We get energy from ongoing learning and growth. We lead with passion and believe without a doubt that everyone deserves to belong and thrive. We live and breathe our values of Compassion, Inclusion, Justice, Dignity and Hope. And we have fun!
Sounds pretty great, doesn’t it? It is!
ShelterCare creates opportunities where individuals experiencing homelessness have access to on-site, integrated housing and health supports so they can become healthier and housed - exiting the cycle of homelessness for good. The Participant Experience Specialist is an important part of the ShelterCare model; it’s what will take ShelterCare from a place to stay, to a place to thrive. This role focuses on participant wellbeing, ensuring they experience success in this program. The Participant Experience Specialist will develop the programming required to ensure men who are part of this program have the opportunity to develop life skills that will be necessary when they move into a permanent home. They will lead students and volunteers to implement programming, as well as connecting participants to community partners, both within and outside of the ShelterCare program. The ideal candidate is a strong collaborator, builds relationships successfully, is able to execute on a variety of priorities and cares deeply about participant wellbeing.
JOB SPECIFIC KNOWLEDGE/SKILLS:
- Demonstrated ability to work productively with partners/stakeholders to develop programming that is participant centered
- Excellent written and verbal communication skills including demonstrated presentation skills to enable presenting to internal and external audiences
- Skilled in developing programming and documenting approaches
- Experience developing evidence informed programming based on best practice
- Skilled in data collection, analysis and applying learning to continuous improvements
- Empathetic, non- judgmental and able to maintain strong professional boundaries
- Experience working with students and volunteers considered an asset
- Knowledge of local community agencies and resources is an asset
- Passion for providing exceptional services to people experiencing trauma, mental health, addiction, poor health, poverty and/or homelessness
- Highly organized, with ability to develop, implement and streamline programming and processes
- Maintaining a positive approach to the work and each challenge that is presented
EDUCATION/EXPERIENCE:
- Degree or diploma in a related field such as Recreation, Recreation Therapy, Social Work, Health Sciences etc. or a post graduate certificate in Recreation Therapy and good working knowledge of therapeutic recreation principles and practices
- An equivalent combination of work and educational experience would be considered in place of a formal diploma or degree (as an example: 3-5 years of experience working in recreational therapy plus a certificate from an accredited program would be an equivalent)
- At least one (1) year related experience in program design and evaluation, ideally within a social services or healthcare environment
- Strong organizational and computer skills, ability to work under pressure and manage multiple tasks and deadlines are required
- Demonstrated skill in building and maintaining productive relationships (staff, community partners, students, volunteers and donors)
CRITICAL SKILLS:
- Commitment to understand and uphold the mission and values of House of Friendship is expected
- Maintain connection to your personal reasons for doing this work and how your purpose connects to the mission, vision and values of the organization and program
- Experience or strong interest in working with diverse and vulnerable populations including people from various cultural backgrounds, income levels, and sensitivity to their needs
- Commitment to consistently upholding the policies and procedures for the program and organization, even when circumstances make it difficult to do so
- Exemplary emotional intelligence, resilience, communication, conflict management and problem- solving skills required
- Ability to foster relationships with key partners, effectively build formal and informal relationship networks inside and outside the organization to increase opportunities for innovation and positively impact outcomes
- Strong intercultural competency, with the ability to recognize and respect cultural diversity, able to be diplomatic and sensitive to the dynamics of a culturally diverse workplace
- Experience with and commitment to using an anti-racism, anti-oppressive and trauma informed approach in consultation, program design, evaluation processes and service delivery
- Respectful, supportive and engaging approach to persons with physical and/or cognitive disabilities, addictions, mental health and other life challenges
- Excellent organizational and time management skills – attention to detail including skills in logistics, planning and objective note keeping
- Able to model effective problem solving by recognizing the human, interpersonal and technical sides of a problem, seeking additional information, developing and weighing alternatives, and choosing the more appropriate course of action given the circumstances
- Must be dependable, professional, flexible, a team player, and have a positive attitude
HTTPS://HOUSE-OF-FRIENDSHIP.HIREHIVE.COM/PARTICIPANT-EXPERIENCE-SPECIALIST-SC-WATERLOO-ON-UGY15X
By end of day August 11, 2025
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